WHEN THE DRUMBEAT CHANGES, THE DANCER MUST ADJUST HIS STEPS:
A CALL FOR SOBER REFLECTION AND NATIONAL REBIRTH.
There comes a point in the journey of every nation when it must pause, look into the mirror of truth, and ask itself difficult questions.
Nigeria has reached such a crossroads.
For decades, corruption, tribalism, nepotism, and insecurity have tightened their grip on our national fabric, leaving the ordinary citizen disillusioned and the collective spirit weary.
It is becoming increasingly clear that we need an honest national conversation,one where every group, every community, and every citizen can speak freely about the future they desire.
In many parts of the world, when a nation struggles to find harmony within diversity, it turns to the people for direction.
A referendum,peaceful, lawful, and guided by constitutional provisions,offers a platform for such reflection, allowing citizens to decide the path that best protects their dignity and collective wellbeing.
Nigeria’s historical formation has long been described as a “FORCED MARRIAGE”,
a union held together more by the weight of circumstance than the strength of mutual understanding.
Today, tensions among various ethnic and religious groups reveal a painful truth: what once held us together is now weaker than the forces pulling us apart.
As the proverb says, “WHEN THE DRUMBEAT CHANGES, THE DANCER MUST ADJUST HIS STEPS.”
This is not a call for division, nor is it an endorsement of separation.
Rather, it is a sober reminder that peaceful dialogue about our continued coexistence is healthier than silent resentment that festers into conflict.
A nation that cannot discuss its fears cannot overcome them.
The rise in senseless killings and mutual suspicion along ethnic and religious lines shows that we are losing the ability to understand one another.
If brothers no longer speak the same language of trust, they must at least sit at the same table of truth.
A peaceful referendum,if guided by law, fairness, and transparency,allows the people to either reaffirm their unity or renegotiate the terms of their coexistence. No nation was meant to exist on perpetual tension.
Yet, beyond structural questions lies a deeper battle: the war for the Nigerian soul. Corruption has eaten deeply into our institutions, distorting justice, crippling development, and weakening hope.
The more we attempt to fight it, the more it mutates,like smoke slipping through fingers.
Only a revolution of conscience can cleanse what policies alone cannot purge.
Insecurity has grown into a monstrous shadow that respects neither wealth nor status.
Today, the rich and poor alike live behind walls of fear, and even livestock are not spared by the chaos around us.
As the elders say, “WHEN THE BUSH IS ON FIRE, THE ANTELOPE AND THE TORTOISE RUN IN THE SAME DIRECTION.”
We must unite against our common enemies,corruption, insecurity, nepotism, and tribalism,before they consume what is left of our national hope.
But we must do so peacefully, thoughtfully, and with a clear sense of purpose.
Nigeria can still be recreated without destroying Nigerians.
A NEW NATION CAN EMERGE, NOT NECESSARILY BY REDRAWING BORDERS, BUT BY REDRAWING MINDSETS.
This article is not written to incite conflict or sow division. It is a call for sober reflection, honest dialogue, and a courageous revisit of our national foundations.
If we truly seek a nation where justice is not a privilege, where unity is not forced, and where peace is not negotiated by fear, then we must be willing to examine ourselves.
This is my humble submission.
May wisdom guide our next steps.
I AM PATSAM.
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